Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

It was a very rewarding and emotional experience. Past Review

By (University of Northern Iowa) - abroad from 05/29/2012 to 06/19/2012 with

Study Abroad Programs in Poland

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I feel like I learned a great deal about national identity and what sets each country apart. I really enjoyed learning about the holocaust and Auschwitz-Birkenau. So many people think they know what happened with the holocaust and the concentration camps but really people do not. The trip was very worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I feel like I learned a great deal of information on this trip! The downside to it was that I felt like I was one of the only students doing the work to be prepared for class so I did not get to hear other students opinions that much during discussions and that was really frustrating.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

The food was all fantastic! It was all really well priced.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

* Was housing included in your program cost? Yes
* Was food included in your program cost? Yes
Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? I am not sure how much I spent each week but I only used about 100 US dollars of my own the whole trip. Everything else was paid for prior to leaving for the capstone.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • I loved going to Krakow and being with students my own age.
  • I love being in a big city where we were free to roam about on our own and feel safe.
  • It was an amazing experience visiting all the museums, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and meeting Bernard Offen, a holocaust survivor.
* What could be improved?
  • Engaging students more into what is trying to be learned.
  • Have the program be more structured, we had too much downtime, could have seen more of Poland.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Nothing.